The Valley Isle is a special place to live or visit no matter what month it is! But this month in particular, you may want to mark your calendar for some big events that you won’t want to miss …
1. Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, June 8–11
You can always feel the excitement in the air when it’s time for the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival. This year as usual, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua will serve as the host hotel – but events will be scattered throughout the world-famous Kapalua Resort area, in breathtaking settings like the oceanfront deck cabana at Merriman’s Kapalua, the Montage Kapalua Bay, and the Plantation House Restaurant.
From brunch, to lunch, to pupus, and of course dinners, this 42nd-annual culinary celebration will include a variety of multi-course food tastings with carefully curated wine pairings. Events will be hosted by master sommeliers, featuring premier wines from world-renowned winemakers and mouth-watering masterpieces from celebrity top chefs like Kelsey Barnard Clark, Edward Lee, and Maui’s own Sheldon Simeon.
The festival pass provides access not only to the Grand Tasting Gala (with preferred seating), but a pre-gala reception, all interactive wine tasting seminars, a champagne and caviar tasting, and a VIP reception with the winemakers. A la carte tickets are also available, for those who want to focus on specific tastings and seminars.
2. World Whale Film Festival, June 8–July 31
The Pacific Whale Foundation will kick off their 7th Annual World Whale Film Festival on World Ocean Day this year. Featuring contributions from filmmakers from around the world, this fundraiser is intended to increase awareness about ocean/marine wildlife stewardship and protection of indigenous ecology. All of its proceeds support PWF’s ocean research, marine education programs, and conservation efforts.
With general admission tickets to the June 8 event at Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery, you can enjoy a screening of several film selections, along with dinner, drinks, and gorgeous views in a beautiful upcountry Maui setting. VIP tickets also come with access to all films online and a PacWhale Eco Adventures sunset cocktail cruise on June 9 with some of the filmmakers.
Businesses and other groups have the additional option of becoming a sponsor, which means a reserved group table with full food and cocktail service at the June 8 event, plus tickets to the sunset cruise – as well as targeted media promotion. Or if you just want to experience the films from the comfort of your own home, a $25 ticket contribution gives you access to all of the festival’s online content between June 8 and July 31.
3. Kamehameha Day Parade, June 17
The Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pāʻū Parade and Hoʻolauleʻa honors
King Kamehameha I (aliʻi nui, or great ruler, of Hawaiʻi) and his lineage. As it has in the past, it will take place in Lahaina town, which has historical significance as the original capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The parade will begin at 9:45 a.m. and make its way down Lahaina’s scenic Front Street, showcasing a variety of floats and marching/walking groups. But the main attraction will definitely be the pāʻū queen and princesses!
The pāʻū is a skirt worn by women horseback riders, and in a pāʻū parade (a tradition dating back to the early 1900s), each of the eight major Hawaiian Islands is represented by a princess and her attendants on horseback, demonstrating their equestrian skill. The riders and their horses are draped in flower lei, each wearing the color traditionally associated with their respective island. Keep an eye out for the princess in pink, adorned in lokelani (pink Damask rose) blossoms – she’s the one who represents Maui!
Parade commentary will take place at several points along the way, and an awards ceremony will be held at around 2 p.m. as part of the hoʻolauleʻa (celebration) that follows. The hoʻolauleʻa will include food, local art and other exhibits, Hawaiian music, and hula in Lahaina Banyan Tree Park.
4. Maui Film Festival, June 28–July 2
And last but not least, grab your blanket or beach chair and make yourself comfortable at Stardust Cinema, an open-air, under-the-stars gathering at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Each of the film festival’s five nights includes a double-feature premiere, as well as extras like live music, kahiko-style hula performances, special tributes, and other surprises. Food and beverages are available for purchase at this one-of-a-kind annual event, which attracts visitors and residents from all over the island.
This month’s great events are just another example of why Maui no ka oi (Maui is the best)! I’d love to answer any questions you may have about Maui real estate or life in general on this incredible island. Contact me today!
Pamela Reader, Realtor Broker
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